Shark warning system to be pulled from water

Shark warning system to be pulled from water

SHARK detection buoys are expected to be pulled out of the water at City Beach at the end of a trial into their efficacy.

Inventor Craig Anderson, from Shark Mitigation Systems, said having had no direction from the State Government, they were preparing to remove the two sonar devices.

The two Clever Buoys, which are deployed 250m off City Beach, detected 28 sharks during the three-month, $500,000 trial, which led to the beach being closed 19 times.

“We will start taking it out over the next few weeks. There’s been no direction really from the new government. The process is that there is a review of this trial going on,” Mr Anderson said.

He said the devices detected 29 sharks between 1.1m and 3.8m long during the three-month trial. Clever Buoys use sonar technology linked to telecommunications to alert lifeguards if shark-sized objects come within a certain range.

Lisa Clack, from the Department of Fisheries, said no decision had been made on the use of the system.

“In line with the terms of the grant agreement between Shark Mitigation Systems and the WA Government, the trial was always scheduled to cease on March 31 and for a review to be conducted,” she said.

Mr Anderson said the devices could work in big swell and at remote beaches, such as the Esperance surf spot where Laeticia Brouwer was killed on Monday.

Two French Government officials were at City Beach yesterday to assess the devices for potential deployment off Reunion Island.